


Like Perfection

by mallfacee



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Coming Out, Episode: s12e06 Hero or Hate Crime?, Fluff, M/M, but nothing graphic, canon typical language, happy boys, some sexual content, spoilers for 12x10: Dennis' Double Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 01:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10547696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mallfacee/pseuds/mallfacee
Summary: Mac comes out and things get better.A year in letters, conversations, and firsts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm torturing Mac in my other fic so I needed to write some happy!Mac. References events from Dennis' Double Life, but nothing explicit. Hope you enjoy!

_Hey Dad,_

_I’m sorry for not responding to your letters until now. For a while, I wasn’t getting them. Then I was and just didn’t know what to say. You said you wanted to build a relationship with me after everything and I guess I want that too. The thing is, you don’t really know anything about me. So I guess I should tell you some things. I made a list:_

  * _I’m a black belt in karate_
  * _I still go to church on Sundays_
  * _I’m good at skiing_
  * _I’m gay_



_That last one is kind of important. Don’t be mad._

_-Mac_

* * *

 

Mac sends the letter on a Tuesday. He doesn’t get a response.

 

* * *

 

Mac is sitting at the bar when Rex walks in, and for the first time lets himself look. He lets himself trace the lines of the other man’s body, finally acknowledging how fucking attractive he finds Rex. He lets his eyes linger on Rex’s hips, his waist, his chest. He revels in how masculine it is, no trace of curves and soft edges.

Rex notices him looking and Mac can feel himself turn red. But Rex just winks and smiles at him. Mac smiles back and nods. He turns himself back to the bar, his eyes running into Dee’s smirk and raised eyebrow.

“Rex is bi, you know. He might be interested,” Dee tells him, handing him another beer.

“Shut up,” Mac huffs in response. But his chest feels lighter. He’s reminded, not for the first time and certainly not the last, how good it feels to be out.

 

* * *

 

The first time Mac sleeps with another man, it’s scarier than he thought it would be. But Jason just smiles at him, kissing over and over again until the tension melts away and Mac can’t focus on anything except how much he needs this.

It isn’t quick like it is when he slept with girls, shutting his eyes until he came and hoping it would be over soon. Jason touches him all over, places he didn’t even know were there. It's gentle and perfect and when it’s over, Mac doesn’t want to leave.

He falls asleep in Jason’s bed, a tangle of limbs and sweat and cum. He doesn’t remember what he was so scared of before he came out.

 

* * *

 

_Hey Dad,_

_Not sure if you got my last letter. In case you missed it, your son is gay. I had a boyfriend for a while. His name was Jason and he was an elementary school teacher. We broke up a few weeks ago._

_Mom’s doing good. Still living with Mrs. Kelly. When I told her I was gay she just grunted and shrugged. I think she’s cool with it._

_She told me you were getting out in a few months. If you end up back in Philly you should stop by the bar. Unless you don’t want to. That’s cool too._

_-Mac_

 

* * *

 

His first Pride is probably the best day of his life. He manages to drag the whole gang out. Mac gets a little too into it, buying everyone shirts and flags. Even Frank wears a boa. Mac drapes a rainbow flag around his own shoulders like a cape, like a shield.

He spends his day drinking and dancing. He asks cute boys for numbers. He lets himself scream with the crowd when Lady Gaga comes on over the loudspeakers. He dances with Charlie and Dennis, and even Dee at one point smiling so hard his mouth hurts.

And at the end of the night, he lets himself cry. Because he was never sure he would ever be this happy. He never thought he’d go to pride, and kiss boys he liked, and see his best friends right along with him in rainbow shirts and matching smiles. He never thought he’d get to see people like him on the streets of Philly, thirteen-year-old girls holding hands and kissing each other’s cheeks, two men with wedding rings holding a baby and pointing out the floats, a seventeen year old looking out at the crowd in awe with tears making a line through the rainbow flag on their cheek. Mac never thought a life like this was possible. The fact that it is makes his chest ache.

 

* * *

 

Mac’s first kiss with Dennis is harsh and angry and perfect. Mac doesn’t think a kiss with Dennis could have happened any other way. First screaming and accusing and _How dare you leave us all like that Den?!_ And then teeth crushing teeth and Dennis’ tongue in his throat. Then his hands are down Dennis’ pants and it’s all downhill from there.

When it’s finished they lay back, sticky and sated on Dee’s couch. Mac can barely catch his breath.

“I love you, you idiot,” Mac tells Dennis. He’s been waiting years to say those words, and he figures if you can’t tell a man you love him after you’ve sucked his cock, then really when can you say it?

“You’re such a pussy,” Dennis replies. But Dennis leans over and kisses him again, and Mac thinks that’s the closest Dennis can get to repeating Mac’s words. It just makes Mac love him more.

 

* * *

 

_Dad,_

_Fuck you. Fuck you for everything. For going to jail, and never being there. For blaming me for your shitty choices. But mostly, fuck you for never writing back._

_I’m so fucking happy, you wouldn’t believe. I have an amazing life with an amazing guy and if you can’t accept that, fuck you._

_-Mac_

 

* * *

 

It’s been almost a year since Mac came out. He still doesn’t get a response.

 

* * *

 

_Dear Mr. McDonald,_

_I’m sure I owe you an apology. It’s my fault Mac didn’t get your letters for so long. You see, I was protecting him from you. Protecting him from something like this. You see, when Mac came out, the first thing he did was write you a letter. Spent $10 of his scratcher money making sure it was priority mail with express shipping. And you have the audacity, not to the respond._

_He pretends he’s fine with it, but I know you hurt him badly. And yet, somehow, he still wants a relationship with you. So I’m writing to make you an offer. In three weeks, it will mark me and Mac’s six month anniversary. For some reason, anniversaries are something your son cares about, so I will be getting him the best present: You. You will arrive at our apartment at 6:00 PM. You will compliment the interior because your son decorated the entire damn thing and this compliment will make him smile. You will dine with us and tell Mac that you are proud of him. You will tell him that you have no issue with him being gay and that you accept our relationship completely._

_If you do not do this, I will apologize to you. Apologize for what an idiot you are. Mac is too good for you and I will do all I can to protect him from you, so help me God._

_Sincerely,_

_Dennis Reynolds_

 

* * *

 

In the end, the conversation goes like this:

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mac. It’s your dad.”

“Dad?”

“I got your letters.”

“I… oh.”

“Look… your… your boyfriend wrote to me. Said there was some dinner on an anniversary? I can’t make it to that, but I wanted to call you.”

“You… Wow.”

“I just wanted to let you know, that this whole gay thing doesn’t bother me. I’m glad you have your boyfriend.”

“You are.”

“I am. Look… I’m going to be in town next week. If you want, I could stop by your bar. Maybe we could get lunch.”

“I… Yeah! Yeah, that’d be great! Um. That sounds perfect.”

“Sounds like a plan. Listen, I have to go. But I’ll call you later to talk details.”

“Yeah, yeah of course. I’ll talk to you later, Dad.”

The phone call ends, and Mac sinks back down onto the bed, grinning from ear to ear. He rolls over and looks at Dennis.

“That was my dad.” He tells him. “You wrote to my Dad?”

Dennis pulls Mac close to him, and Mac lets himself rest on Dennis’ chest.

“Happy stupid sixth-month anniversary,” Dennis says in response.

“I love you,” Mac tells him.

“I love you too,” Dennis says, pausing for a moment. “Pussy.”

Mac is pretty sure coming out was the best decision he ever made.  


End file.
